That Hocus Pocus Nonsense
by J. Maria
Summary: Carlos finds himself in a place not all that different from his hometown of Sunnydale, CA. 'Cept that it's a little too much like his hometown. cross with Hocus Pocus
1. 1 Introductions All Around

Title: That Hocus Pocus Nonsense

Author: Jmaria

Rating: Pg-13ish

Disclaimer: Disney owns Hocus Pocus, Joss owns Buffy

Spoilers: The movie Hocus Pocus and Season Seven

Summary: Carlos finds himself in a town not all that different from his hometown.

A/N: I started writing this after my mom and I watched the movie recently. I loved the movie when I was younger, but then my niece watched it a gazillion times when she was living with us and I refused to ever sit down and watch it again. Until my mom got all nostalgic and wanted me to watch it with her (we love Halloween in our family, and it's one of the few movies my mom will watch). And I remembered why I used to love it, and well - boom. Edgar bit me hard.

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1. Introductions All Around

Carlos Trejo needed a break. He deserved one, right? He'd been good, went to school more often than not. He had friends. Two friends. Two very cool girl friends who knew that their town was seriously fucked up. And now he was being sent off to live with his maternal grandparents in Salem. Massa - fricken - chusetts.

Dawn Summers and Kit Holburn had been really supportive. Kit's folks were moving back to L.A. and Dawn . . . well Dawn was having issues with her sister and all those people living in her house right now.

He sighed heavily, remembering their good-bye's yesterday. He'd kissed them both on the cheek and was tugged away by his father. He hated this. All of this. This picking up and moving to a new town.

He stared at the door of his homeroom and wanted to scream. How could he go back to pretending what he'd accepted in Sunnydale didn't exist?

Dani Dennison sighed heavily as she gazed out the window. She stared out the window, her eyes fixed on the graveyard. She should go there today. She hadn't been there all week. She'd been in the hospital, with her parents welcoming her niece into the world. She should go.

"Class, we have a new student to welcome today. He's a transfer student from California. Carlos, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself?" The plump white haired teacher asked the dark haired teenager who looked angry and miserable. He reminded Dani of Max when they had first moved here. Minus the tie-dyed tee of course.

"Hey. Carlos Trejo. Lived in Sunnyhell CA, hate school and I hate Salem."

"Um, well. It said Sunny_dale_ in your transcripts, Mr. Trejo."

"Yeah, but it's really a hell sort of place."

"Please have a seat over by Ms. Dennison." She pointed to the only free seat in the back of the room.

The teacher continued talking about the upcoming holiday treats the school was planning on setting up this year. Dani leaned back casually. She saw that he was writing something in his notebook. Was it - about vampires?

"What are you looking at?" He hissed.

"Your notebook." She whispered. He slammed it shut with such force that had the whole class turning to stare at him.

"Yes, Mr. Trejo?"

"Carlos just killed a bee. Lucky for me, too. Deathly allergic to bees, you know. One sting and I'd have keeled over dead." Dani said quickly.

"Well, then. As I was saying."

She waited patiently until after class was over before she tried to talk to him again.

"Hey, Carlos."

"What do you want?"

"Talking, you know that little thing people like to call conversation."

"Who are you?"

"Danielle Dennison. Call me Dani, though. Please I beg of you to call me Dani." She smiled brightly at him. It almost threw him off for a second.

"Carlos."

"Yeah, Mrs. Henderson kinda introduced you to the whole class."

"Forgot bout that."

"So, you're from California too?"

"Yeah. Who else is?"

"Me. I'm from L.A. originally. My folks moved here about ten years ago."

"I see."

"Hey, what's your schedule?" She asked, snatching the paper from him. Carlos looked at her funny.

"Are you always this random?"

"I try my damnedest to be that way. Just thought I could help make the transition easier. Unless you'd rather do the loner thing, if you don't want everyone to think it's weird to have a girl as a friend."

"My best friends at home are girls. Were." He amended.

"Great, look we have Lunch B, third, fifth, sixth, and seventh period together. Well, I guess I'll see you in Chem." She leaned towards him as she made her down the hall. "Then you can tell me why you're writing about vampires."

Dani was about as subtle as Dawn on a bad day. Which was like never. He'd been nervous enough that she'd seen his notebook. But she was talking about it during the class.

Granted, half the class was asleep. Including the teacher.

"So, you've actually _seen_ a vampire?" She whispered.

"No, seen tons of umpires though." He said, distractedly.

"Carlos."

"Dani, not now."

"Have you ever seen a Zombie? A boy that was turned into a cat? Witches? A possessed and evil book?"

"Wiccans?" He turned to face her.

"No, seriously dark evil witches that like to suck the life out of little children."

"I've met a couple wiccas. Three Zombies tried to kill me on - wait a minute."

"What?"

"Why are you just accepting this, like it's nothing?"

"Because I've seen all those things."

The bell rang. But Carlos didn't think he could move. He wasn't alone. Someone else understood.

A/N: Ok?


	2. 2 Lessons I Learned From A Cat

Title: That Hocus Pocus Nonsense

Author: Jmaria

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Season 7 and the movie

Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Someone else thought 'em up, I'm just jerking the puppet strings about. They be returned as good as new, promise.

Setting: Ten years after the movie, mid season seven.

Summary: Sharing secrets

A/N: Ok, wow. Who knew that this little fic I started writing this summer would be so popular. Not me, obviously, or I would have had the next three parts up in a hurry. As it is, I'm reduced to scribbling out ideas in my very boring Micro and Macro classes. I'm also wondering if anyone would object to a revival of the Sanderson sisters? I know they blew up at the end of the movie . . . but both the Black Flame (is it called that?) candle and Winnie's Book are still around, so . . .suggestions?

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2. Lessons I Learned From A Cat

Dani impatiently sat through her next class, just wishing for the bell to ring. She needed to talk to Carlos. It was just - a relief to find someone else who believed, who knew what was out there. Max and Allison, while she loved them, they already had someone who knew. She didn't. Binx and Billy were long gone, and Ernie and Jay were too thick headed to understand.

It was harder than she thought it would be. But then she wasn't thinking about what would happen in the future back then. She didn't know that her new friends wouldn't understand why she visited the old section of the cemetery weekly. She missed Binx terribly, and now that Max and Allison were parents - well, she felt left out.

The end of the day couldn't come quick enough. As the final bell of the day rang, Dani gravitated toward Carlos' locker. He stared at her in disbelief.

"You don't just give up, do you, Dennison?"

"Nope, which is why you are coming with me." Dani grinned.

"Why?"

"Because I know your little secret. C'mon. It's just the museum." Dani didn't mention that they'd be stopping off at the cemetery first.

"Oh, cause that sounds like loads of fun." Carlos slammed the locker shut.

"My brother owns it, and I work there." Dani grinned again, "C'mon, like you've got better things to do? Salem is pretty boring, and it's not like you're dying to go home."

"Fine - ok, I'll go."

Dani pushed open the heavy iron gates to the Old Burial Hill cemetery. She was already through them when she looked back to see Carlos standing outside of them. He refused to budge.

"You said 'museum' not 'cemetery'."

"It's a short-cut. I take it all the time. The cemetery ends two blocks before the museum."

"Cemeteries equal vamps."

"This is the oldest cemetery in the city, Carlos. There hasn't been a new body in here for the last seventy-five years." Dani watched him patiently. Then, when that didn't work, she did what she always did to Max. "Quit being such a baby, Trejo. It's three hours till sunset, and it won't take us that long to cross the cemetery."

Carlos mentally yelled at himself, but found himself following Dani into the cemetery. She detoured on her way toward the large clump of trees, stopping at rose bush and picking off three white miniature roses. Weaving her way through the trees, she stopped in front of a gravestone with a skull and cross bones on it. It read _William Butcherson_.

"This is Billy. He helped keep me safe a long time ago." Dani smiled at the stone, then at Carlos. "He was killed by the Sanderson sisters, poisoned." She placed the flower in front of the stone. "C'mon."

There was one more grave, with the name _Emily Binx_, and beside it, a small stone cross with the name _Thackery Binx _and the date November 1st, 1993 on it. She knelt beside them, tracing the names fondly. Each stone got a flower.

"I never met Emily, I only saw her spirit once. She was the reason Binx fought so hard to protect me. Because he couldn't protect her. I got my first kiss from him." She smiled brightly, remembering the last and first time she ever saw Thackery Binx in human form. "C'mon, I told you I'd get you to the museum."

"You do know you're a very strange person."

"Yup. Max tells me that all the time." She bushed the dirt off her hands as she rose. "The other gate's just over there, and the museum's not much farther."

Well she wasn't lying. The Sanderson House museum wasn't that far away, but it sure looked creepy. Dani made her way through the few wandering tourists, who examined the outdoor sculptures. There was one of a black cat by the doorway, that Dani patted on the head as she passed.

Inside, the museum looked as if it had been renovated recently. On one wall there was a thick glass case with a book, there were more sculptures and sketches, and a small gift shop, manned by a skinny blonde man. He beckoned her over.

"Hey Dani, what're you doing here?"

"Just showing off the place to my new friend. Jay, this is Carlos. Carlos, meet Jay."

"Hey. How's Hollywood holding up?" Jay turned back to Dani.

"He and Allison are getting used to baby Emily. Where's Ernie?"

"Tour group. Didn't think we'd get this big a rush after Halloween and all. And we fired Clay." Jay looked almost thrilled at that.

"Why?"

"Caught him telling the tourists that the museum was going under and needed donations." Jay snorted, "More like Clay needed money for his new car, and Hollywood didn't want to give him a raise. Where you from?" Jay leveled his gaze on Carlos, and for a second he reminded Carlos of a bully he knew in the fourth grade.

"Sunnydale, California." Jay let out an annoying peal of laughter.

"You picked a Hollywood Junior?"

"Please enjoy our gift shop, and visit us again." A tall, brown haired man spoke to his group of five tourists as he made his way over to the counter.

Carlos had to do a double-take. This guy, who he assumed was Ernie, reminded him of the high school guy Larry, who took him and a group of other kids trick or treating about four years ago as part of a community project. As far as he knew, Larry had been killed at the '99 Graduation Ceremony.

"Whose this kid?" He demanded.

"Dani went out and picked herself a Hollywood Junior." Jay cackled again, before turning away to help a customer.

"Hey, quit picking on Carlos. Someone would think you forgot who saved your butts from rotting in those metal cages all those years ago." Dani huffed.

"He meet Hollywood yet?" Ernie asked.

"No." Dani sighed.

"Can somebody tell me who 'Hollywood' is? I mean if you're gonna compare me to this guy, at least tell me who the hell he is!" Carlos cried out, getting the attention of the two of them.

"Well, I'm Hollywood. These two bozos don't like to call me by my real name." A new voice said from behind them. Carlos spun around to face a dark haired man, who grinned at Dani. "I'm Max Dennison, Dani's older brother."

A/N 2: Ok, a little rushed, but other than that - what do you think?


	3. 3 The Sanderson Sisters

Title: That Hocus Pocus Nonsense

Author: Jmaria

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Season 7 and the movie

Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Someone else thought 'em up, I'm just jerking the puppet strings about. They'll be returned as good as new, promise.

Setting: Ten years after the movie, mid season seven.

Summary: Lectures on candles and books

A/N: RL has been very stressful as of late - which is why there weren't any updates until recently. sigh anywho, here's part three (I'm not expecting this to be any longer than ten parts btw) As a side note, I'm sure everyone remembers Larry from season 2 & 3 of Buffy? Well, the actor that played Larry also played Ernie (Ice) in Hocus Pocus.

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3. The Sanderson Sisters

Max Dennison stared at the teen beside his kid sister. He was about seventeen and looked as if he was as happy as Max had felt his first week in Salem. Which never resulted in good things.

Ten years ago, when Max had first come to Salem he'd believed that Halloween, witches, zombies and talking cats were all a big joke. Ok, so the whole talking cats thing had never occurred to him before they'd met Binx. He glanced over at the bullet-proof glass case that held Winifred Sanderson's spell book and the remains of the Black Flame candle. It had been one of the most frightening nights of his life, mainly because he had put his younger sister in danger.

"Who are you?" Max asked, keeping his voice as non-threatening as he could while trying come across as being very threatening.

"This is Carlos, Max. He's new to Salem." Dani smiled up at her big brother - just a tad bit too brightly.

Max had been overprotective of her since the incident with the Sanderson sisters. He was her older brother, and it was basically his duty to make sure no one hurt his little sister. But this was the first time she'd brought a guy to the Museum. Which meant that this kid was either special or the 'one'. He was hoping for special.

"And?" Max stared at his younger sister.

"Carlos really wanted to see the local color. His hometown was rife with local color." Dani smiled even brighter.

"Which means a job in Dani-speak." Max grinned at her.

"Yup."

"Wha - no, man that's -" Carlos started to protest.

"Do we look like we're running an outreach program?" Ernie demanded, cutting Carlos off.

"Yeah, we ain't the baby-sitters club." Jay joined in.

"Do I need to say 'Ice' or bring up a certain rendition of 'Row Your Boat'?" Dani turned her gaze over both of the older men, holding her ground.

"Hollywood, you promised you'd keep the half-pint in check." Jay complained.

"When has anybody been able to keep Dani in check?" Max snorted.

"Carlos, why don't you take a quick tour around the museum?" Dani said quickly, shoving Carlos in Ernie's direction. "Ernie can give you the fifty cent tour."

Ernie grumbled, but led Carlos out into the museum. Jay just groaned, but went to ring up the last of the sales. Max simply tried to stare his sister down.

"Dani, what's with this guy?"

"I told you, he's new to town." Dani replied. She looked over her shoulder at Carlos. "He reminds me of you."

"That's not gonna work on me, Dani."

"Do you want me to tell Allison that you used to make out with your pillows and called them 'Allison'?" Dani raised her eyebrow.

"That's not gonna work on me, Dani. Besides, you already told her. It was right before she agreed to marry me."

"Oh, right." Dani frowned. "He's from L.A., Max. And he's seen some wild stuff."

"Wild stuff? Why am I hoping that this 'wild stuff' is like a really wild kegger?" Max groaned. "I thought you'd gotten over that whole mystical horror stuff, Dani."

"You re-opened the museum, Max. It's pretty hard to get over it when my older brother owns the mystical epicenter of Salem." Dani snapped.

Max sighed. Dani had thrown herself completely into the idea of his owning the Sanderson house. The town had been considering tearing it down a few years back, but Max, Allison, and Dani couldn't bear to see the old place go. It held bad memories, but there were a few good ones still there. Allison sold her sculptures, and had even made a few renditions of the witches, Billy, Emily, and Binx. Binx was the three hundred year old spirit of a boy trapped in the body of a black cat. He had helped destroy the witches who had killed his sister and had made him a cat, and had helped save Dani's life. Allison had made the sculpture of Binx that now guarded the entrance of the museum.

Max, realizing he and Allison couldn't run the shop alone, had hired the two bullies who had made his life hell to help them. Jay and Ernie 'Ice' had been captured by the witches and had hung in cages from the ceiling. Max had found them when he went to remove the Book and Black Flame Candle from the old museum. Dani had only been allowed to work weekend shifts, and only if she kept her grades up. Max hadn't wanted her to work there until she was older, but his little sister rarely listened to him.

"Dani -"

"I took him to the graves, Max." She looked back at Carlos again. "There's something about him, something I can't describe. I have this feeling-"

"Dani -"

"Something's coming, Max, something big." Dani sighed. "I can't explain it, but it's as big as the sisters."

"Yeah, well you better keep him away from the candle then." Max sighed. "He can't even touch it, Dani. We don't was some stupid virgin making the same mistake twice." He looked down at her. "Don't you even go near it, for that matter."

"Who said either one of us were still virgins?" Dani smirked.

"Danielle Dennison, don't you even -" Max started.

"So how's little baby Emily doing today?" Dani quickly evaded the question. "And is Carlos hired?"

"Fine and yes."

"You were up all night, weren't you?"

"Yes. Allison wants the miniature sculpture of Binx for Emily's room. She thinks it might be calming, and you're not changing the subject."

"She's right and yes, I did. Now, let me go tell Carlos and then he'll walk me home." Dani kissed her brother's cheek.

Max watched as she skipped over to Carlos and Ernie. Dani tugged him towards the door and waved back at Max. He quietly wrapped the statue of Binx and bagged it.

"So, we hiring Hollywood Jr.?" Jay asked.

"Yeah, we're hiring him." Max sighed.

"That mean we gotta take a pay cut?" Ernie demanded.

"No, he's getting the same shift as Dani." Max looked up at his friends. "Don't let him anywhere near that case."

"Like we want those scary ugly chicks back in our lives."

Dani walked quietly beside Carlos.

"I don't need your charity." Carlos seethed. "I'm not a charity case."

"Of course you're not." Dani snorted. "You live in Allison's old neighborhood, and besides, it's to make sure you stick around."

"Stick around?"

"Yeah, I get bored talking with jus Jay and Ernie all the time. And you need a hobby."

"What?"

"Look, I'll see you at school tomorrow and we'll talk some more, ok?"

"Huh?"

"See ya."

Dani turned off on the next street, her backpack slapping against her back. Carlos just stared at her for a minute. Why did he always end up meeting the weird girls?


	4. 4 The Book

Title: That Hocus Pocus Nonsense

Author: Jmaria

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Season 7 and the movie

Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Someone else thought 'em up, I'm just jerking the puppet strings about. They'll be returned as good as new, promise.

Setting: Ten years after the movie, mid season seven.

Summary: No touch-y!

A/N: Ok, just because I got these last two chapters out close together, please don't expect another immediate update. I've got a bunch of projects due this week.

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4. The Book

Carlos was late getting back to his grandparents home. He tired to just slip in the door, but it was really hard to do when his grandmother was standing in the foyer with her arms crossed.

"Where have you been, Carlos Alexander Trejo?" She demanded shrilly.

"I was - "

"Our understanding was that you were to be directly home after school, young man."

"I know it was, Grandma." Carlos sighed. Why did all of the women he know try to boss him around? "I was out with a friend."

"A friend?"

"Getting an after school job."

"A job?" She murmured, stunned at her grandson's truthful answer.

It was the first time in his life that he'd actually thrown his formidable grandmother for a loop. He silently thanked Dani. She walked over to him, taking his arm for support. She led him into the sitting room.

"So, where are you working and who is this new friend of yours? We might know his parents."

"The Sanderson House Museum. And her name's Dani Dennison."

"The Dennison girl?" His grandmother smiled. That was never a good sign. "She's related to Allison Crane. The Cranes can trace their family as far back as we can."

"Yeah - "

"Dolores, is the boy back yet?" His grandfather barked from the foyer.

"He's in here, Arthur. He's got some wonderful news, dear!"

"There's a phone call for you, boy." Arthur looked at his watch. "Dolores, we've got that charity dinner. Don't be on the phone too long."

"Oh yes. Carlos, there's some Angela prepared a meal for you. It's in the refrigerator. Don't stay up too late. You do have school tomorrow."

"Yes, Grandma."

Arthur and Dolores Standish were upstanding, upper class people. Which was why they could never understand their daughter's husband. Hector Trejo had been working two jobs to put himself through college when he had met Deborah Standish. They'd fallen in love, and they were engaged the year after they had both graduated. Because he wasn't the type of man they would have picked for their daughter, her parents had not fully accepted their engagement and had been strongly against the marriage.

Carlos waved good-bye to his grandparents and quickly raced to the nearest phone.

"Hello?"

"Carlos! It's Dawn- " The girl cried through the phone.

"And Kit!" Kit threw in.

"How are - aren't you in L.A.?" Carlos asked.

"Well, duh. We're three-way calling." Kit snorted.

"Via my awesome cell phone."

"Have you seen my folks?"

"They left town a few days ago." Dawn sighed. "Everybody's booking."

"Yeah, I figured. Mom was talking about getting out of Sunnyhell." Carlos rolled his eyes.

"So, how's the new school? What's it called? Have you made any new friends, or have you already skipped?" Dawn chattered on, with Kit laughing in the background.

"Jacob Bailey High, it's not located over a hellmouth. No, I haven't skipped and I made a friend and got a job."

"Is he better than us?" Dawn said very seriously.

"No way, we are the coolest best friends a guy 3,000 miles away can have." Kit replied. "Right, Carlos?"

"No, she's not better than you guys." Carlos laughed

"She?" The two girls cried at the same time.

"You two aren't serious."

"No, we just figured you'd replace us with jocks." Dawn said.

"Not a girl. Guys, we can beat hands down -" Kit paused.

"But girls are a whole other thing." Dawn finished.

"Is she prettier than us?" Kit mocked.

"No. But she knows about the weird stuff - like vamps and zombies and witches."

"Wiccans?" Dawn asked.

"No, she said evil witches."

"Maybe you should Google the names."

"I think she might tell me on her own." Carlos sighed. "So how's Sunnyhell?"

"Extra helly of late." Dawn said cheerfully. "Let me fill you in."

Dani was late. The first bell had already rung, and Carlos sat starring blankly at the chalkboard. Where was she? He was bored out of his mind, and it was filling up with thoughts of the supernatural rather than the information the teacher was trying to put in there. The back door of the classroom opened quietly, catching his attention. Dani slipped quietly into the room. She quickly sat in the empty chair beside him.

"I thought you were gonna skip class for a second, Dennison."

"I'm here aren't I?" She grinned over at him. "I'm actually surprised _you_ didn't ditch."

"Nah. It's too hard to slip outta here. You have guards and everything." He said disgustedly.

"Yeah. Too bad about that."

"Salem isn't that big. Why is this place like Fort Knox?"

"Ten years ago, somebody broke in and tragically killed the kiln in the art room. Needless to say, they beefed up security." Dani replied, her face completely neutral.

"That'd be about the time you met the zombie?" Carlos narrowed his eyes at her.

"Stop trying to be 'bad cop', Trejo. It doesn't work on you." She grinned again. She opened her folder. "Max needs you and your grandparents to fill out these forms."

"Right. So, you ever gonna tell me what really happened ten years ago?"

"Yeah. At work today. When we're not too busy."

"Wait, I start today?"

"Yup."

"Ms. Dennison, is my teaching interupting your conversation?" The teacher demanded.

"No, you can go right ahead. I was just asking Carlos what we were covering." Dani smiled.

"We're covering covalent bonds." Carlos added.

"Yes. Now, as I was saying," The teacher continued.

Dani was happy that school was done for the day. She shut her locker and went off in search of Carlos. It was nice having a new friend to hang out with that wasn't her brother, Allison, Jay, or Ernie. She didn't have to look very far. Carlos stood at the end of the hall.

"Hey, long time no see." She smiled.

"It's been ten minutes, Dennison."

"Yeah. I've got issues." Dani shrugged.

"So, you gonna tell me what happened?" He prodded.

"Yeah."

Dani told him the whole story as they walked to the museum. She told him how Max, Allison and she had gone to the Sanderson house on Halloween night. How Max had lit the Black Flame Candle, and brought the Sanderson Sisters back to life. She told him that the Sanderson sisters goal was to suck the life out of at least one child to remain alive. She told him about Binx, and how he'd been a cat for three hundred years, and how he and Max risked their lived to save her from the worst of the three sisters, Winifred.

"And Max knocked her off her broom and she stepped on hollow ground. She turned to stone, and basically exploded when the sunlight hit her." Dani finished.

"And Binx?"

"Binx died. His soul was finally free. But I loved him, you know? And it hurt a lot that he had to go." Dani sniffled. "But his spirit kissed me, and thanked us for all we did."

"I get that." Carlos replied. "But I do have one question."

"What?"

"What happened to the book and the candle?"

"Ok, we have a rule. That big glass case? That's where they are." Dani looked up at him. "You a virgin?"

"That's a damn personal question, Dennison."

"No, it's not." Dani rolled her eyes at him. "Because if you are, you're not getting within five feet of that case."

"Why?"

"Because there's a virgin clause on it."

A/N: The surnames of Crane and Standish are both made up. Allison (as far as I know) was never given a surname. I 'borrowed' these surnames from the soap opera _Passions_. I, like Spike, was addicted to it.


	5. 5 The Candle

Title: That Hocus Pocus Nonsense

Author: Jmaria

Rating: PG-13

Spoilers: Season 7 and the movie

Disclaimer: No, I don't own them. Someone else thought 'em up, I'm just jerking the puppet strings about. They'll be returned as good as new, promise.

Setting: Ten years after the movie, mid season seven.

Summary: What they didn't tell you. .

A/N: Ok, this story is only going to be ten to fifteen chapters long, mainly due to the fact that I lack the capacity to write something over fifteen chapters. Other than that, nothing new. I'm really not sure when the next chapter'll be up.

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5. The Candle

"A virgin clause?"

"Yeah, like if a virgin lights it on Halloween night when the moon is full, the witches come back to life." Dani said, pushing through the front gates of the museum.

"In case you haven't noticed - it's the middle of November."

"Well, yeah, but the book has loop holes. It could find a way to bring them back." Dani murmured, remembering the thrall the book had put on them when they went to destroy it.

"If it's so dangerous, then why don't you just destroy it ?" Carlos asked.

"It can't be destroyed." Dani opened the door.

The crowd wasn't as big as it had been yesterday. Dani led him through the museum to the back room, which was a converted closet. A mini-fridge, card table, microwave, and a coffee maker stood in one corner of the expanded room. Two folding chairs were tucked under the table. On the wall was an old fashioned time clock. Beside it was card holder, with each name labeled and a key hanging from the hook beside them.

"It's real simple, you take this card that has your name, slip it in. Let it punch, pull it out and pick up the key on your hook." Dani said quickly. She sighed. "Your basically gonna follow Ernie around today and get the info on the museum."

"Wait, so this thing could be set off at anytime?"

"Well, you're scheduled at three forty-five, and the clock turns off at ten. But I guess you -" Dani pushed the door back open and made her way out into the museum.

"Dennison, I'm talking about the book and the candle." Carlos sighed.

"Yeah, it can still be set off, or they can be brought back another way. It's really hard to say, because Max locked that book up the second we found it. He won't open it, and he thinks it's better locked up than in the hands of a potential evil witch."

"Excuse me, is there a tour group going through today?" A tall brunette woman interrupted their conversation.

"Yeah, if you go over to the counter, Jay should be able to tell you when the next one starts." Dani smiled brightly at her.

"Thanks."

"So, are you gonna finish telling me what I have to do?" Carlos asked.

Amy Madison watched the two teens out of the corner of her eye. She plastered a big false smile to her face as she headed over to the dippy looking clerk. He was quickly replaced by a tall, dark haired man who looked a lot like -

"Larry?" Amy demanded.

"What was that?" He asked.

"Larry - from Sunnydale High, gradutating class of '99?"

"No, it's Ernie. I graduted from Jacob Bailey High, Class of '95."

"Wow, you look just like this guy I went to school with. Except he's dead and was gay, unless you're gay?"

"No."

"Oh."

"What can I help you with?" Ernie said flatly.

"I was told that there was a tour going through soon?"

"Yeah, in about fifteen minutes. Feel free to take a peek at our shop while you wait."

"Thanks, I think I will."

Amy glanced around the shop. The two teenagers were talking quietly, Amy tried to hear what they were saying. She needed to get to that book. Her safety depended on it, and if the Larry look alike here wasn't going to cut it, the impresionable and gulliable 'Miguel and Charity' couple over there were her next likely means of getting it. Then she'd rule the world, or at least keep the slayer off her back for what she'd done to Willow last year.

Ernie stared at the freaky California girl. Then he got an eyeful of Hollywood Jr. and Dani giggling. Oh yeah, the Half-pint really wanted to make sure he was 'well-adjusted' to Salem. Ernie called Jay back to the coutner and made his way over to the two of them.

"Allison's newest batch arrived, go stoke em." He told Dani, turning to face Carlos. "Come on kid, tour group."

Ernie clapped a hand on his shoulder and led him over to the group of tourists. He put on the big phony smile and began the spiel.

"Welcome to the Sanderson Museum. My name is Ernie and this is Carlos." He smiled and said quietly. "Wave Hollywood."

"Hi."

"We'll start off with the History of the house. Over here, is the cauldron the sisters used to make their 'magical' potions. If you'll all follow me, we'll head upstairs where the sisters used to sleep and conduct 'wicked' business of the times. Several liasons between the wealthy forefathers of Salem and the sisters took place right up there." Ernie made his way up the stairs.

"Carlos." Dani hissed.

"What?"

"You dropped your key." She handed it to him before going back into the shop.

Amy smiled as she watched the teens. This was gonna be like taking candy from a baby.

Ernie stuttered as he caught the look the crazy chick was giving the two teenagers. He had a bad feeling about this.


End file.
